James Etzkorn was appointed as the Director of District 4 in March of 2023. He believes that our country and our community are facing significant challenges and providing the next generation with a strong education is the primary path in overcoming those challenges.

James grew up in Vancouver, WA and obtained an electrical engineering degree from University of Washington then spent a couple years in France to obtain a master's degree in nanotechnology. James works in the high tech industry managing projects to develop advanced hardware such as smart contact lenses and quantum computers. James is excited about the opportunity to utilize his professional skills to help guide our children’s education.

James has a passion for education and has over 15 years experience volunteering in classrooms at varying grade levels. He championed the effort to start the FIRST Robotics team in 2019 at Monroe High School, which is still going strong today. James is a strong supporter of project-based learning as a method to best prepare our students for their futures. He believes that challenging students to work with a team to solve real-world problems with strict timelines and limited budgets better prepare students for their careers compared to independently answering random multiple-choice questions as fast as possible.

James lives in the Echo Lake community with his wife and daughter and enjoys exploring all that the region has to offer.